Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1887-11-12
AN EXCESS OF BOREDOM.
A millionaire Tired of Life Finds New
Kind of Amusement. /

"A
Kind of Amusement.
A famous millionaire sat on the edge of
a table in the Casino at Newport one
night and stared at his boots in dismay.
.sYaw!'' he yawned, in an excess Of
boredom, as he raised his eyebrows and
rammed his hands deep into his pockets,
s'It's slow; monstrously slow
Apparently it was. One or two men
in faultless attire smoked near a window.
Others sprawled in languid desperation in
the deep armchairs, and an eminent
stock Spectator added drowsiness to it all
by snoring with subtle but penetrating
regularity in the corner. 1t was a sultry
night, and the negro walters mopped
their black faces as they whispered to-
gether in the corridor. The ennuied mill
ionaire could almost hear the tapping of
the water in the harbor against the sides
of his beautiful steam yacht, His horses
moved uneasily in the heat without and
ratified the big pole chain impatiently.
1t was nearly midnight in the queen of
American watering places, and nothing
was going on! The millionaire kicked
his heels peevishly against the table and
motioned to one Of the walters. They
all scrambled forward in such haste that
the Oldest one slipped and almost fell.
The great man smiled, whereat wave of
joy passed over the dusky group, and all
but one retired with teeth in full review.
Who is unhappy when a millionaire
smiles?
sis the champagne well iced?" asked
the man of means, good naturally.
sit is indeed, sab. De las bot lie wuz
froze dead herd"
s'Bring me some"
When the waiter poured it out it was
so cold that it dribbled slowly into the
glass and sent up o milk white mist al
most as thick as the foam that raced
to the top of the glass, while the dew
gathered in beads on the bottle. The
millionaire smiled gently as he gazed at
the champagne, and then he glanced at
the painting waiter.
s'Would you like to shiver, Thomas?"
he asked solemnly.
''Me, sah?" said the waiter with a
chuckle. Deere amt not in in dis heah
wuld I'D make me shivah t'night, sab
non deedy."
"Oh, yes, there is. y
"Squse me, sab, but I'm roastin',
am, n I dom b'ieve I'll evan be col
again.
s'I'n make you shiver in two minutes
by the watch or I'll give you $50"
go ahead, sah!"
Without more ado the millionaire took
the champagne bottle from the others
hand, turned it upside down, thrust it
calmly down the back of the darky's
neck and left it there, while the cham
payne dripped gently down the walters
spine. Then, watch in hand, he waited,
while the loungers sat up and the walters
moved in from the corridors with their
eyes fairly starting from their heads.
"Don' you shivah, 20 fool niggah!"
said the foremost Of them in hoarse
whisper to Thomas. '''Fy' do Tll-Ill
kick yo' head often y body, shuh. "
got chance ter pay me dem sewing dol
labs now, am if y miss it III lam VI
will fer fac"
Meanwhile the writer stood there with
pursed lips, staring eyes and clenched
fists. His head was bent forward and his
legs spread apart, while his breath came
in mighty snorts. The loungers were
crowding around with their watches in
tlACu L1dh14lS DClo WILLIE lAiC
time wore slowly away. Presently the
millionaire shouted:
''One minute''
''Oh, Lordyr' moaned Thomas in a
voice like the sorrowful roar of cavern
by the sea, I'm a-goin', I'm a-goin!'
Remember dem sewing dollahs!'
There was an awful hush, the sound of
the grinding of African teeth, a wild
"Huh-wu-whoooo" followed by helpless
chattering, and Thomas stood shaking
like an aspen leaf, with one eye turned
appealingly ON the seven dollar man, while
the other sought the face of the million
aire. One after another the walters es-
sayed the test, and for two hours the
Casino was the liveliest spot in America.
Then the famous millionaire climbed con-
tentedly to the seat of his cart and muir
INJURED ss he drove home in the moon
light: at wasn't so monstrously slow
after all. ''-Blakely Hall in New York
| World.